


The Professor

by PagetPaulson



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 07:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 12,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4821083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PagetPaulson/pseuds/PagetPaulson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Professor Prentiss has a thing for a student's father. Can it work out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Hurrying through her living room and back into the master bath, Emily's eyes bugged. "Shit," she cursed, hitting her hands against the sink's counter as she continued to look for her earrings. She was going to be late for her first day.

It had been years in the making and the day was finally here; Emily Prentiss was a teacher. A profession, mind you, that her mother found to be less than her, but the family name never mattered to Emily. She had felt as if her teachers were her only saviors, and she wanted to be that for at least one child.

The twenty-six year old huffed as she finally slipped the small diamond hoop through her ear, and she ran back to her room to put on her nicest pencil skirt.

"Em? You there?"

Finishing putting her dark hair into a twist, the single woman frowned.

"I can see you, dingus. You left your Skype on."

Emily spun and gave a small wave to the blond on her computer screen. "Hey Jay," she smiled lightly, and sat herself on the edge of her bed to slip on her high heels. "I can't talk, I have to run to work."

The blue eyed woman frowned. "You're going to be late."

Emily rolled her eyes. "No shit," she laughed, "And I still have to go and catch a cab. I'll call you later, ok? Love you."

She rushed down the stairs and thanked the doorman for holding the cab she had asked him to call for her. "Ronald, you're a savior."

"I do what I can, madam." Ronald was an elderly man from Brooklyn, and every time a tenant would come in the door and ask him about his days, he'd give them a grin and say, 'Never happier to be in Manhattan'."

After giving the driver her destination, the new teacher pulled out her phone to look at her reflection. "Damn." She quickly took out her makeup compact and fixed the dark circles under her big brown eyes. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before because apparently her neighbor had decided last night was the perfect night to fuck his girlfriend right up against thee wall that connected to her bedroom all night long.

All. Night. Long.

Being new to her building, Emily hadn't met all of her neighbors yet, but she was sure she wouldn't be happy meeting that particular one.

"Miss? We are here."

Emily paid the driver with a generous tip before hopping out and rushing toward the school's entrance.

"Miss!"

Turning, the chocolate eyes woman met the eyes of an older man, her gaze quickly dropping to his chiseled jaw line and how it sharpened when he smiled.

He was gorgeous.

Emily blinked, her eyes popping back up when she noticed him now standing before her. "H-Hi," she stuttered, nodding up to the older man.

Reaching out, the dark haired man held out a diamond bracelet. "I saw this fall off your arm."

"Oh," she breathed. It was the diamond bracelet her father had given her for her high school graduation; the only thing she had ever cherished. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done if I lost it."

"I'm sure I know what a few people here would have," the older man joked, gesturing to the people walking on the streets. "You'd pay good money to get it back from that pawn shop on fifty-seventh."

Emily let out a giggle of a laugh as she readjusted the bracelet on her wrist. "Well thank you very much."

"Super pretty!"

Looking down, the new teacher noticed for the first time a small sandy haired boy beside the attractive man. "Thank you, sweetheart," she smiled. "What's your name?"

He grinned. "Jack."

"And I'm his father," the dark haired man smiled, offering his hand to the beautiful woman. "Aaron Hotchner."

Emily felt her heart pounding in her chest as his coarse skin rubbed over hers. "Emily Prentiss. Does your son go here?" It was one of the finest prep schools in New York City.

Aaron nodded. "Second year." Turning to his son, he patted him on the back. "Go in bud, ok? I'll be back to pick you up when school is over."

The brunette watched with bright eyes as the young boy hugged his father's legs before running off to his friends, and she scratched at the back of her hand. "He's sweet."

"I would hope so," the older man chortled. "Do you work here?"

Emily felt herself grimace and nod her head. "First day." Looking to her phone, her eyes widened. "And I'm already late."

Aaron held up his hands. "I apologize for keeping you." He started stepping back until he reached the gate of the school. "Have a nice day, Emily."

She watched him walk off and around the corner, and she had to bite her lip to keep herself from outwardly groaning at the way she saw his ass move against his pants.

"Ms. Prentiss?"

The brunette spun on her heel and grinned to the principal of the school, quickly making her way over to her boss and following her to her first classroom of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

"Leaving so soon, Ms. Prentiss?"

Emily looked up from her desk, already full of papers, and smiled to the principal standing in her doorway. "I'm afraid so," she tried to laugh, her purse falling to the crook of her elbow. "I have an appointment across town in about forty-five minutes."

The older woman smiled to her newest teacher. "You did great today."

"Thank you so much." Now she could breathe a sigh of relief. All of the children in her English classes had done extremely well for the first day, and she even had young Jack Hotchner in her first period.

He had come up to her after class and whispered to her how pretty her bracelet was, and she did her best not to reach down and kiss his apple cheeks.

Practically sprinting from the room, the brunette woman pulled her hair from the twist she had put it in hours before and sighed, massaging the back of her head where the clip had been irritating her all day.

"Have a good day, Ms. Prentiss."

Emily smiled to the other teachers and walked out of the school gates, her hand immediately raising to hail a taxi.

Frowning, the brunette turned around when she heard her name get whispered and she spotted a familiar little boy standing just outside the gate. "Jack." She quickly rushed him back behind the gates so he wouldn't get taken by a stranger. "Sweetie, what are you still doing here?"

"Daddy's late." He smiled up to his teacher. "Hi Ms. Prentiss."

Emily felt herself smiling back to the eight year old boy. "Hi Jack. Do you know when your daddy will be here?"

"I don't know."

"Hey lady!"

Emily looked up and saw a taxi that had pulled over for her. "Nevermind!" She forced herself not to yell out to the man as he gave her the finger and drove away, and she set a hand to the young boy's back. "So did you like class today, Jack?"

Jack vigorously nodded his head. "It was so fun! You're a good teacher, Ms. Prentiss."

With the slight lisp at the end of her name, Emily could feel her eyes start to sting. "Thank you so much, Jack."

"Jack, you're making your teachers cry now?"

The brunette woman looked up at the deep voice and watched as her student ran into his father's arms. "Just a tad," she laughed, standing from the bench and dusting off her skirt. "Hello Mr. Hotchner."

"Ms. Prentiss," Aaron nodded. "I apologize I'm a little late; someone at the office scheduled my meeting for three instead of two and I had to talk to my boss about it before I was able to leave." Frowning, the older brunette watched as the teacher glance at her phone. "Is there a reason you're still here?"

Emily gestured to the eight year old and returned his smile. "Saw little Jack sitting alone. But I do have to go now, so thank you for finally arriving," she joked, letting out a breath the moment he laughed.

He started leading his son back toward their car before he turned to make sure the younger woman was alright, and noticed her on the curb trying to get a taxi to pull over for her. "Ms. Prentiss?" Waiting until she turned to look his way, he grinned, watching her dark hair fly over her shoulder. She looked like a model. "Can I offer you a ride?"

Emily's jaw fell. "Oh you don't have to," she laughed, gesturing out to the street. "I have an appointment all the way across town."

"I'd be honored if you came with us."

Biting her lip, the brunette shakily nodded her head. "Ok." She let him walk back to her and set a hand to her back to lead her to the car, and she forced herself not to comment on the new Mercedes he opened for her.

Once they were in and she had given him the address, Emily grinned back to the child in the back seat. "Why don't you tell your dad what you learned today, Jack?"

"Grammar!"

She looked over to the laughing man in the front seat and nodded. "That's basically it."

Aaron flashed the younger woman a grin, and she immediately noticed his dimples. "Well thank you for teaching him that." He eyed her for a moment longer before looking back out to the congested streets. "How old are you, if I may ask? You said today was your first day."

"It was," she confirmed. "I'm twenty-six. You?"

"Thirty."

Emily let her teeth chew at the inside of her cheek before leaning into her seat. "So what do you do?"

Aaron turned a corner and came to a quick stop when a garbage truck skid to the side of the road. "I'm an engineer."

She nodded. That's how he had the car.

Twenty minutes later and they were pulling to the side of the road, Aaron immediately getting out of the car so he could open the door for his son's new teacher. "Here we are."

"Thank you so much," the brunette breathed, moving her blowing hair from her face. "You didn't have to do this."

Aaron shook his head. "It was my pleasure."

Emily paused for a moment, her eyes glued to those of the older man before she gave an embarrassed smile. "Ok, I should go," she chuckled. "Thank you again." She let him help her onto the curb before she watched him drive away, and she waved to the small boy in the backseat.

Hours later, the brunette was finishing up applying her moisturizer after her night shower when she heard a knock at her apartment door. Quickly wiping off her hands, Emily made her way through her living room and over to the door. "Hello?"

"Cookies!"

Emily's eyes widened. "Jack?" She opened up the door and set her eyes on the young boy standing there. "Jack hi."

"Ms. Prentiss."

She felt her heart stop in her chest at the sight of the older man standing in her doorway. "Mr. Hotchner," she breathed, and she knew her eyes were wide as she looked between the two. "Can I help you?"

Aaron gestured to the cookies his son was holding. "We came to welcome the new tenant," he grinned. "Apparently that's you."

"It is." Thanking the eight year old, Emily took the plate of cookies and let them step inside the apartment. "And where do you live?"

"Next door."

Emily's jaw dropped. He was the one who had made all the night before.

It was Aaron.


	3. Chapter 3

Emily bit her lip to hide her smile as she watched the young boy on her couch fall fast asleep against his father's side, his tiny lips puckered open and a spot of drool forming on his bottom lip. "Looks like it's someone's bed time."

Aaron chuckled, lifting his son into his lap. "Yeah, I think it's time we go."

She stood with the older man and wrung her hands as she led him to her apartment door. "Thank you for the cookies," she tried to smile. "That was sweet."

Looking deep into those dark eyes the younger woman had, Aaron gave a short nod of the head. "Would you mind if I drove you to work tomorrow?" He watched as she faltered, her jaw almost falling straight to the floor at the unexpected question. "I'd like to talk to you."

Emily hesitated. "Sure," the teacher drew out in a breath, her lips curling at the corners of her mouth. "That sounds great."

"We leave at seven-thirty. Do you need a different time?"

She denied it with a shake of the head. "That sounds perfect."

Nodding, Aaron shot her a single dimple. "Goodnight Emily."

Emily's chest tightened. "Aaron," she whispered, watching him take himself away from her doorframe and walk down the hall. She closed the door once he was out of sight and leaned back against it, her heart beating wildly in her chest at the thought of the look he had given her.

He was so handsome.

She groaned and threw her hair up in a bun, shaking her head as she got herself ready for bed. "Damn."

Waking up in the morning, the brunette picked out a navy blue dress that was conservative but not in a boring type of way, the swells of her breasts just visible beneath the necklace she wore. The teacher put on an acceptable amount of makeup and let her hair fall in curls around her face before taking her favorite black bag and making her way out of her apartment.

"Well hello."

Her eyes shot up to see the older man standing before her, Jack plastered against his legs. "Aaron," she sputtered, her hand tight around the coffee she had in her travel mug. "Goodness, you scared me."

The choice of words had the engineer grinning down to the brunette before him. "I apologize we're a few minutes early. Jack and I like to arrive just before a set time."

Emily nervously smiled to her neighbors. "It's alright."

"Ready to go?"

The tiny voice made the brunette woman blush, feeling Jack's hand gently pull on hers. "I am ready," she nodded with a smile, letting the eight year old lead her to the elevator at the end of the hall. "Are you ready to go, Jack?"

"I am!" Turning, the eight year old tugged on his father's suit jacket with his free hand. "Can we drive slow, daddy?"

Aaron shared a grin with his son. He wanted him to drive as slow as he could so they could have more time with their new neighbor. "I'll try my best, bud." He opened the door to his car for the younger woman just as he had the day before, and made sure her dress wasn't fluttering off the seat before he closed it and buckled in his son. "Got your apple, Jack?"

Jack held it up in his hand. "Got it!"

The brown eyed woman got herself buckled and sat back against the passenger seat, her eyes on the older man as he pulled out into the busy street. "Thank you again, Aaron."

"Don't even," he said softly, looking to the brunette. "I wanted to talk to you."

Emily bit nervously into her lip.

"I take it you've been moved in for a few days now," Aaron commented, checking the rearview mirror to make sure his son was preoccupied. When he saw her nod out of the corner of his eye, he stiffened. "I take it you could hear a little commotion the other night from my apartment."

She could feel her heart begin to beat so hard it vibrated throughout her entire chest, and she slowly shook her head. "I don't know what you mean."

"I know you do."

"I don't think this is appropriate," she whispered, afraid the young boy in the backseat could hear.

Aaron looked to the younger woman in the seat beside him with hard eyes. "I want you to know my son was nowhere near that. He was at his mother's."

Emily almost winced at the tone he was giving her.

"Now I apologize for being so forward, but I can guarantee that you heard what went on and because you know I have a son, I wanted you to know that I would never put him in that kind of situation."

The brunette woman gently nodded her head, keeping her dark eyes on the cars in the road before them. "So you're divorced?"

Aaron stiffly nodded his head, trying to roll his shoulders and relieve the tension that had found its way there. "Two years," the older man said softly. "The girl the other night was an ex who came to visit."

Emily almost rolled her own shoulders to relieve herself of the disgust she felt growing inside her. "I don't need to know every detail." Looking over to the older man, the teacher bit her lip. "Thank you though." Maybe it made him feel better that he had told her, but she didn't know how it made her feel.

Five minutes later, the three were parked in front of the school, and the engineer once again opened Emily's door and took her hand to help her out and onto the sidewalk. "I take it your appointment went well yesterday?"

The brunette woman gulped. "Yes," she nodded, feeling the breeze hit her cheek as he looked down to her. "Thank you."

Breaking eye contact, Aaron reached down and kissed his son's cheek. "Walk inside with Ms. Prentiss, ok? Daddy has to get to work a little early today."

Emily let the young boy take her hand and lead her through the gates and into the school. She didn't look back to the older man she knew was watching them, and she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Ms. Prentiss? Can you help me?"

She led him into her classroom and set her things down on her desk. "What do you need help with Jack?"

"Grammar."

Emily bit back her smile at the puppy dog eyes the eight year old was giving her, and she glanced at the clock to make sure they had some time before class started. "Of course, Jack. Come on, let's sit down."


	4. Chapter 4

"Now who can tell me which word on the sheet you have goes in the blank up here on the board?" Looking out amongst the sea of eight year olds that filled her room, Emily pointed to a small dark haired girl in the back. "Daisy."

The green eyed girl looked down to her paper. "An?"

Emily gave the eight year old a smile. "That's right," she nodded happily, forcing herself to contain her laughter at the joy she saw on the young girl's face.

When the bell rang, the third grade teacher collected the worksheets she had handed her students in the beginning of class. Looking up to the clock, Emily nodded to herself. She could finally head home.

She quickly put all of her papers she needed to grade from that day into a folder and stuffed it in the purse she was carrying before heading out of her classroom and into the sunlit courtyard of the school.

"Oh Emily!"

Turning her head, the ambassador's daughter saw another teacher waving her over to a group of women she stood with. "Alexis," Emily smiled, walking over to the teachers. "How are you?"

"Damn fine."

She frowned, spinning on her heel to look toward the entrance of the school to see what they were all looking at, and she huffed.

It was Aaron Hotchner.

The assistant principal bit her lip as she watched the single father help his son with his backpack. "I can't believe how handsome he is."

"So gorgeous."

Alexis nodded. "If he wants more children, I'm glad to help him."

Emily found herself blushing at the words her new friend was saying, and she shook her head.

"Bye Ms. Prentiss!"

The brunette turned and grinned to the eight year old waving her way. She waved back, and when her eyes connected with Aaron's, her breathing grew shallow.

He grinned at her, and gave her a small wave.

Instead of waving the way she had at his son, Emily brought her hand down near her breast, as if she were trying to hide her action, and she bent her fingers in a small wave goodbye.

Waiting until the father and son were out of sight, Alexis slapped at the new teacher's arm. "You know him?"

The dark eyed woman held her arm where her new friend had slapped her. "I do," she laughed awkwardly, noticing all the women staring her down. "Jack Hotchner is my student, and his father and I have had some conversations."

"Is he a dream to talk to?"

Emily felt herself hesitate. "I guess." She shrugged, gently backing away from the group. "He's a very polite man." Smiling to Alexis, she pointed back to the entrance gates. "I have to go, but you all have a wonderful evening."

Once she was back home, the teacher found herself constantly flipping between watching the news, grading papers and texting her best friend. Life was getting hectic, and it was only her second day.

"Permission to enter?"

She frowned, hearing the muffled words come from just outside her apartment door. Getting up, Emily readjusted the belt on the jeans she had put on and opened up her door. "Aaron," she laughed, seeing the grin on his face. "Can I help you?"

The older man noticed the change the brunette had made, jeans and a plain t-shirt, and he refrained himself from commenting. She looked beautiful. "Jack insisted that I come over and ask his favorite teacher to dinner."

Emily felt her jaw drop, and she peeked out the door to see a giggling Jack standing just the hall in front of their door. "Oh that's so sweet," she whispered, almost to herself. Looking back to the man before her, the beautiful brunette woman sadly nodded her head. "I would love to but I can't. I'm so sorry, I have too many papers to grade before classes tomorrow."

Stepping out into the hallway, the third grade teacher smiled to her student. "Do you think maybe I can come over another night, Jack? I still have to see what you wrote down on your worksheet today."

Jack readily nodded his head. "I think I did good!"

She grinned. "I'm sure you did," she laughed lightly, looking back to her neighbor once the eight year old ran back inside. "Thank you for the offer."

Aaron nodded gently down to the younger woman. "If you finish up early..."

He left the statement open ended, and Emily slowly stepped back into her apartment and gave him a smile. "Thank you. Goodnight, Aaron."

Hours later, the teacher was still sitting on her couch, her hair up and out of her face and her body warming up in her favorite sweatshirt. "Fuck," she cursed, rubbing her palms over her eyes as she felt herself falling asleep. Thanks to a phone call from her mother that lasted almost an entire hour, Emily was behind on her grading, and it was almost ten at night.

There was a knock at her door. Again.

Groaning, Emily got herself up and shuffled over to the door, peeking out the peephole and frowning when she didn't see anyone. "Come on." She pulled the door open and looked up and down the hallway. "Hello?"

Before she stepped out into the hall, her gaze thankfully glanced down to the floor where she saw a plate wrapped in steamed up silicone wrap. Eyes wide, she bent down and took the warm plate in her hands, smiling softly down to the door beside hers before heading back inside.


	5. Chapter 5

"You sure know how to make a girl swoon, huh?"

Aaron smiled down to the younger woman walking by his s ide. He hadn't been able to get a spot right by the school that day so he had parked three blocks down, and his eyes immediately caught a familiar figure walking in the sunlight. Apparently Emily Prentiss had felt like it was too nice a day to spend her trip to school in a cab.

She had walked thirty blocks.

"Swoon?"

Emily blushed at the realization of the words she had used. "I know what I said," she defended.

Aaron gave a loud laugh, his eyes on his son who walked right before them. "I like to think I'm polite."

She bit her lip. Everything he had done for her in the few days he'd known her wasn't because he was polite.

"Or maybe it's something else."

The brown eyed woman knew he was looking down to her and could see her blushing, but she didn't try to hide it.

"Daddy! We're here!"

Aaron knelt to the ground and took his son into a hug. "Make me proud, boy." He playfully messed up Jack's hair and watched as he smoothed it back down before rushing inside.

Emily smiled up to the older man once he was standing again. "He seems like a very happy boy," the teacher commented, her breath picking up when she felt him step closer to her. "And he's one of my best students."

"Not too loud?"

The teacher laughed. She knew exactly what Aaron was saying.

Little Jack Hotchner sure was an excitable child.

"He's perfect," Emily said softly, looking up to her neighbor and watching as he smiled down to her. "Well I better get going."

Eyes widening, Aaron reached into the small bag he had been carrying, pulling out a shiny red apple for the brunette beside him. "I almost forgot," he chuckled, his eyes meeting the surprised ones of his neighbor. "A gift from Jack."

The brunette woman let out a laugh. "That's so sweet." She took the apple and held it in her free hand. "Well I'll tell him thank you."

Aaron took a breath, throwing the caution he had tried to make himself extremely aware of out the window as he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to the beautiful woman's soft cheek. "Have a good ay, Emily."

Emily knew he heard her let out a strong breath as he started to walk away, and she could feel her eyes practically bugging out of her head.

"Emily!"

The brunette turned around and saw Alexis staring at her from the gates, and she hurried over to her with her head shaking. "You'll never believe what just happened."

...

Walking into her apartment building, Emily flushed at the look her doorman was giving her. She knew he had watched her interactions with her handsome neighbor for the past few days, and the smile he was sending her made her heart beat faster. "Don't," she warned playfully, taking the letters that had arrived for her from the older man.

"What can I possibly say, Ms. Prentiss?"

She forced herself not to laugh at the innocence the older man tried to pull off, and her jaw dropped when she turned to see Aaron standing before her. "Aaron," she breathed, brushing her hair from her eyes. "Hi."

Aaron bit back his smile. "You seem surprised to see me. You know I live here too, right?"

"Right," she chuckled. "It's just, Jack told me his mother was picking him up so I didn't think I'd see you home so early."

 _Home._ "I finished my work early," he nodded, his hand on the brunette's back so he could lead her up the stairs, and he smiled back to the grinning man who stayed by the apartments entrance doors. "How was work?"

Emily tried her best to keep her breathing in check as they walked up to the fourth floor of the building. "Easy," she laughed, "which is different."

"I bet," the engineer laughed loudly. He walked her to just outside her apartment door and leaned against the wall. "So I was wondering, would you like to have dinner with me Friday night?" Aaron watched her stop in the middle of unlocking her door, and he nodded. "I'd like to make up for the meal I left out in the hallway for you last night. That wasn't very polite."

The teacher could have laughed. "Are you kidding? You didn't have to do anything for me at all."

"I wanted to."

Biting her lip, Emily gently nodded her head. "Ok," she smiled, whispering the words as if someone were eavesdropping and she didn't want them to hear. "I'd love to."

Aaron grinned.

"Are we going to bring young Jack along? God knows he picks a good apple." Walking into her apartment, Emily grinned, hearing him laugh walking down the hallway just as she shut her door.


	6. Chapter 6

Gritting her teeth, Emily forced herself not to curse out the young woman on her Skype as she glared at her. "You're not helping," she bit out, turning her back and rolling her eyes at her friend's laughter. "You have to help me!"

The blond in the small box on the computer laughed, shaking her head. "Ok, so me the dresses again."

Emily sighed. "Are you sure I shouldn't wear pants?"

"No. Pants are stupid."

The teacher frowned and looked over her shoulder to the younger woman. "Pants are stupid?"

"Just show me the dresses!"

Emily gave her friend the finger before holding up two dresses to the camera in the computer. "The black one makes my waist look better but the purple one isn't as slutty." Looking down to the dresses she was holding, Emily huffed.

"How is that slutty?"

"Maybe because every bit of my skin shows except for my stomach," she laughed, throwing them both on the bed before stripping off her pants. "Whatever. I'm wearing the purple one."

JJ clapped her hands. "You'll look perfect!" Watching her friend zip up the purple silk dress, the blond frowned. "Are you leaving your hair like that?"

The teacher looked to her friend and frowned. "Why?"

"No nothing," she smiled.

Emily rolled her eyes before leaning over her chair and logging out of her Skype, hearing her friend scream a 'good luck' to her before she shut off her computer.

Glancing at the clock, the third grade teacher quickly went to her vanity to apply her eyeliner. She was almost ready but she knew that Aaron liked to get to where he needed to go early, and if the clock said fifteen minutes, Aaron would be there in ten.

She slipped her earrings in and ran her fingers through her natural curls, taking in a deep breath when she heard a knock at her apartment door.

Aaron was here.

Emily slipped her feet into her heels, only two inches, and slowly walked through the living room before pulling open the front door.

"Should I say beautiful? Or can you give me a few minutes so I can find a more proper word?"

The teacher tried to hide her blush as she watched the older man lean against her doorframe. He was wearing a navy suit with a crisp white shirt beneath, and Emily could see that he had put some effort into his hair when she knew he didn't need to. "Would you like to come in?" she asked softly. "I just have to grab my purse."

Aaron stepped into the apartment and watched her walk back to where her bedroom must have been, inwardly groaning when he watched her hips sway. "Your apartment is beautiful."

"I assume yours looks about the same."

He cursed himself. "Yeah," he laughed, smiling to her when she came out with a clutch in hand. "Except our living room is a lot smaller because of our two bedrooms." He opened the door for her and led her out into the hall, his hand on the small of her back as they walked toward the elevator. "Stunning."

Emily looked up. "I'm sorry?"

"That's the word," he nodded, grinning down to the younger woman and letting her take the first steps into the elevator. "You're stunning."


	7. Chapter 7

Emily smiled as she let herself shiver, looking across the table to her date in the candlelight. "Well, I've never had someone go so out of their way," she chuckled, her breath light as she turned her head to look out to the river.

"That's a shame. I don't know why."

Her dark eyes flickered back over to his and grinned. "Tell me, Mr. Hotchner," she giggled, her elbows leaning on the table. "Why did you go to so much trouble?" He had had some friends set up a beautiful table on the Riverview Terrace in the city, their location completely guarded off so no one could interrupt.

He wanted this night to be special.

Aaron copied her position and clasped his hands together, his eyes connecting with the younger woman's. "Well I think that a beautiful woman deserves a beautiful night," he shrugged, taking joy in the blush he saw creeping up his date's cheeks. "Did I tell you how gorgeous you look tonight?"

"I think you said stunning." Raking her teeth over her bottom lip, she forced herself not to bite nervously at her nails. "Thank you, Aaron."

The engineer smiled to the beautiful woman. "It's an honor."

Looking up at the sound of a small bell, Emily found her jaw dropping when a waiter walked over with her entrée in his hands. "Thank you," she breathed, looking to her date after she had seen the already deshelled lobster sitting on her plate. "Now I think I owe you one," the teacher laughed.

"How about you pay me back with another date?"

Emily grinned. "I would love to."

Worried, Aaron leaned over his own plate when Emily hesitantly grabbed her fork. "You're not allergic, are you?"

"No, not at all. It's just big."

The single father laughed, shaking his head and picking up his own fork before waving the waiter back over. "Well I hope you enjoy it." Looking up to the waiter, the engineer winked. "Emily, you choose. White or red?"

Emily smiled when the waiter presented her with two aged bottles of wine. "Red please."

The waiter poured two glasses before setting the bottle down on the table. "You owe me, Hotch."

The brunette laughed as her date nodded and waved the waiter off, and she leaned closer into the table as she took a sip of her wine.

"He's a friend," Aaron explained.

Emily nodded, letting the bitter drink sit on her tongue for a moment before letting it slide down her throat. "A really good one," she smiled softly, taking a bite of her lobster.

He watched her jaw try its best not to drop, and he forced himself not to laugh. "Good?"

"So good!" Her eyes shot up, her hand immediately dropping her fork so it could cover her mouth. "Oh my God, I'm sorry." She shook her head when Aaron looked to her with wide eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

Emily slowly brought her hand away from her mouth and found herself shrugging.

"Don't be embarrassed," the older man dismissed, giving her one of his dimples. "I'm glad you like it."

Nodding her head, Emily looked back down to her food and gently stabbed another piece of the meat. "So what made you think of having dinner out here?" It was so secluded; so beautiful.

"I always come here with Jack." Aaron set down his fork and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "He loves to look down at the water, and when I look at it I see it sparkle when the lights hit the small ripples, and I thought of your smile when I passed by the other day."

The teacher's heart was ready to beat out of her chest as the smile he was giving her. "I've never heard of anything so sweet."

"Or corny, maybe."

Emily laughed. "I think I'll stay with sweet." After a while of small talk and enjoying their meal, the brunette woman looked up to see the waiter coming back over with two different types of dessert in hand. "Oh, you've outdone yourself."

Aaron grinned, gesturing to the treats. "Pick yours first."

The teacher shared his smile. He was a keeper.

They got back home about two hours later, Emily letting the older man help her out of his car and shut her door before walking her up to their floor. She let his hand settle on her back as they continued to talk, their voices growing quieter as they began to pass a few apartments. "Well this is me."

"I want to thank you for coming out with me tonight."

Her dark brown eyes flickered up as she stood before her door, and she felt him leaning toward her. "Sorry," she apologized, her hand on his chest as she pouted. "I don't kiss on the first date unless I'm flown to Paris."

Aaron stared wide eyed at her, the words only registering after she smiled. "God," he breathed, his laugh loud as his date started chuckling. Leaning forward once more, he brushed his lips against her cheek. "Goodnight, beautiful."

Emily leaned back against her door and watched him walk away, pointing to him when he turned back to her. "Stunning."

"Stunning! Right, right."


	8. Chapter 8

Grading the last of her stack of papers, Emily swept a small stand of her straightened hair from her forehead. It had been a few days after she and her neighbor had gone on their date and she was still floating on cloud nine, but she hadn't seen him since that night. He had been at work all weekend and he had texted her just that morning to let her know that he and Jack would be going on a small vacation; just the two of them.

But because of her date, which she obviously told her best friend about, all of her friends from college and all of her family members were calling and texting her, her grandmother who was turning eighty-two in a week had sent her first email to ask her about her new man.

Everyone was extremely excited. She hadn't gone on a date in years.

"Mrs. Prentiss?"

Emily looked up and spotted a beautiful blond in her doorway, her hands clutching an obviously expensive purse. "Ms.," she corrected politely. "Can I help you?"

The older woman immediately nodded her head. "I'm Jack Hotchner's mother, Haley Brooks."

Emily's jaw almost smashed into the floor.

"I hope this isn't a bad time."

The teacher shook away her shock and stood from her chair. "Not at all," she smiled, shaking the other woman's hand. "Have a seat."

Haley gave a polite nod of the head.

Watching as the blue eyed blond fiddled with the handles of her purse, Emily sat herself back down and clasped her hands. "Can I help you with something?"

"I'm sorry to barge in like this, but Jack's father was able to come to the parent conferences on Friday while I couldn't." Brushing away the bangs of her bob, Haley gave a nervous smile. "I just wanted to know how my son was doing."

Emily gave the older woman a grin. "Oh Jack is great," she gushed. "He's one of my best students."

Haley's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Your son is doing extremely well in my class," she assured her. "On our latest spelling test, he got the top score in his class."

The blond let out a breath, her hand to her heart. "Thank God. I'm so sorry for coming in out of nowhere and interrupting your day but I really needed some good news for my son."

Emily frowned, leaning harder on her elbows. "Is something wrong with Jack?"

"My husband and I only divorced over a year ago," Haley admitted to his son's favorite teacher. "He doesn't like to talk much unless it involves his daddy, and I needed to know that he was still doing well in school. He's always loved coming here and I just needed to be reassured."

Emily gave a gentle smile to the older woman and nodded her head. "Jack is fantastic," she said softly. "He's always very happy and very focused on his work. I don't think there's a thing for you to worry about." But she understood where the now single mother was coming from. Her parents had gotten divorced when she was just thirteen years old, but maybe she took it harder than Jack took it was because he didn't fully understand. He was only nine, and he still got to see both his parents. Emily's father immediately flew off to Rome and she could only see him once a year.

And, shifting in her chair, those visits usually didn't go as planned.

"Ms. Prentiss?"

Emily's head lifted, smiling to the older woman. "I apologize. I sort of drifted off there for a minute."

Haley stood, shouldering her bag and shaking her head as she smoothed down her skirt. "Don't worry. I have to get to the other teachers anyway," she nodded. Making her way to the door, the blond slowly spun on her heel. "Jack loves you, by the way. I don't think he goes a day without talking about his favorite teacher Ms. Prentiss."

The brunette blushed at the compliment, waiting until she knew Haley was far enough away from her classroom before she scrambled for her phone. "Pick up," she growled into the receiver, rushing over to the door and slamming it closed.

"Em?"

She gave a sigh of relief at the sound of her best friend's voice, and she plopped back down into her desk chair. "You will not believe who was just here."


	9. Chapter 9

"Your favorite television show?"

Emily laughed around her fork. The engineer had come to her school the day after he and his son had gotten back from their tiny vacation and brought her lunch, the teacher's favorite lobster ravioli with a side of rice and some sauce he had concocted that was absolutely marvelous, and Emily couldn't get the smile off of her face. "I actually have a fascination for reality shows," she admitted, blushing when Aaron smiled at her.

"Really?" he questioned, struck off guard by the admission. He had taken her for a murder mystery and family comedy loving girl. "And what are your favorite reality shows? Or do you have one above all the rest?"

The third grade teacher bit her lip. "Well my favorite is a certain show about this family that's basically famous for nothing."

Aaron's eyes widened. "You're joking."

"Hey," she scolded lightly, forcing herself not to smirk at the older man who sat on the other side of her desk. "Those girls in that family may have started from a sex tape but they have a flourishing business that I am quite envious of."

The single father laughed, shaking his head before cutting another piece of his ravioli with the side of his fork. "Whatever floats your boat."

Emily's jaw dropped. "What are you, seventy? Who uses that phrase?"

"Are we really discussing what phrases I happen to use while you're the one who's obsessed with women who think they're the most famous people in the entire country?"

"Try the world," Emily corrected playfully, her eyes darkening on the man she had gone out with. With every word that came out of his mouth, she could feel herself falling even harder for him. "And who said obsessed?"

Aaron shook his head, taking the stance the other brunette had and leaned his elbow on her desk, pointing his fork at her. "Your description did."

Emily stuck her tongue out at the older man before she glanced down to her plate, her eyes widening. "You know, there actually is this new show with this insanely hot actor that looks good." Biting her tongue, she looked out the window to the kids playing recess. "I can't remember his name."

"Does he have dark hair? Dark eyes?" The engineer sat up and gestured to himself. "Looks like me."

"Kind of," she giggled, licking the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue. "I mean, you're definitely more attractive. If you were to take his place, I bet they'd get millions of more viewers."

Aaron grinned, standing from his place and walking around the desk to lean against the drawers beside the third grade teacher's smooth legs. "Oh, you think I'm attractive?"

Emily didn't even try to hide her blush that time, smiling wide as she looked up to the older man. "Maybe."

"Only maybe? I'm not this devastatingly handsome man?"

The third grade teacher stared incredulously up to her date as he reached down and brushed her hair behind her ear. "Now you're pushing it." Smiling when he started to lean in, Emily slowly parted her lips, ready for the kiss she had now been waiting for weeks to finally receive.

"Emily?"

The pair immediately broke apart, Emily spinning her chair around to face the doorway of her classroom so fast that she almost knocked right into the blackboard to her side. "Damn," she cursed, rubbing her elbow as she looked to her coworker. "Alexis," she laughed lightly, gesturing for her to come in. "What's up?"

The big eyed woman's jaw dropped at the realization of what she had interrupted. "I'm sorry," the teacher breathed as she waved her hands before her, trying to somehow undo what she had done. "Please get back to whatever you were doing."

Emily, about to hold out her hand to tell her new friend she could stay, watched as Alexis quickly run from the doorway.

"Well she seems sweet."

The teacher snorted, letting Aaron lean back against her desk. "She sure is," she grinned, biting her lip as she looked up to the older man. He had a smile that could brighten her day in a single moment.

The smile his son had.

"I have to tell you something."

Aaron nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you need me to get going? I know you have class soon."

Slowly shaking her head, she crossed her legs and sat back in her chair. "I met Haley."

"Haley?" He met her eyes and saw the way she was chewing on her lip. "Haley Brooks?" Gesturing to the desks in her classroom, Aaron almost gasped. "Jack's mother?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. She came here a few days ago and was really upset that she missed Jack's parent teacher meeting."

Aaron paused, rolling his shoulders as he listened to the younger woman.

"Are you mad?"

The engineer looked up from the ground. "Why would I be?"

Emily felt herself hesitate. "...Because I didn't tell you?"

Aaron quickly shook his head. "No, that's fine. You must have felt so uncomfortable in that situation." Running his hands along his face, the father of one sighed. "Haley and I are trying our best to coparent, but it doesn't always work out so well. She couldn't be at the parent teacher conference and I made her feel badly about it," he huffed. "Did everything go well?"

"Of course," Emily got out quickly, keeping her eyes glued to those of her date. "She was really interested in all of Jack's hobbies and how he was doing." She wouldn't bring up what the blond had said about their divorce. That was none of her business.

Aaron felt himself smiling down to the beautiful brunette. "Jack loves her." He saw the awkward smile he was receiving from the younger woman, and he bent down and squatted above the ground, his hands taking the brown eyed woman's. "He loves you too."

Emily let out a breath. "Really?"

"Really?"

Alexis peeked head back into the classroom and watched as the brunette couple leaned in for another kiss. "So cute!"

Emily's brow raised, fighting the smile that wanted to spread onto her face as she turned once again to see her friend in her doorway.

The other teacher paled. "I'm just going to go."


	10. Chapter 10

Giving the best smile she could to her doorman as she walked into her apartment building, Emily held in her sigh. She loved that old man to death but her day was nothing to smile at.

Instead of going on a date with the man who still hadn't even kissed her, the third grade teacher had been forced to her mother's house to go over what their holiday plans would be.

They were the same year after year, but for some reason the ambassador always wanted to bring her daughter home to discuss it. They'd end up in a fight, and Emily would storm out of the mansion every time.

It was as if the ambassador truly hated her daughter.

"Come on," she huffed, eyes glued to the floor numbers above the elevator doors as she waited for it to come back down to the lobby. She was too tired to walk all the way up to her floor in her three inch heels.

"Everything alright, Ms. Prentiss?"

Emily nodded over to her doorman and gave him a gentle smile. A real smile. "It will be," she sighed, waving to hum as she stepped into the elevator.

Taking her phone from her purse, the teacher sent a quick text to the man she had been dating. Their day had been ruined, but maybe they could have a late dinner together.

"Emily."

She smiled to the man getting on the elevator before stepping by him and getting off. "Be careful down in the trash room," she smiled to her neighbor with his garbage bags. "They still haven't fixed the lights."

The older man nodded thankfully to the beautiful woman - he cursed himself for not asking her out when he had the chance - before letting the doors close on him.

Emily brushed her hair off her neck as she walked down the hall and searched her bag for her keys, her hand digging around through all of the random little objects she had stashed away in there.

A moan caught the teacher's attention. Looking down to the apartment next to hers, the ambassador's daughter caught sight of Aaron's door left open. "Aaron?" she called out, dropping her keys back into her bag and making her way to the engineer's apartment.

Afraid he had left in a hurry and hadn't realized the door wasn't shut, Emily reached out to take the knob and close the door, but another sound from in the apartment made her stop.

"Aaron, come on."

Emily frowned.

"Touch me again," the voice breathed, a clattering noise in the background reaching outside the apartment. "I know you want to."

The teacher's teeth ground against one another when she heard the man she had been dating let out a groan, and she pushed open the apartment door.

The blonde's head spun at the interruption. "Invite a friend?"

Aaron turned to see the brunette beauty he had been dating with her face a bright red and steam blasting from her ears as she stood in the doorway. "Shit." Throwing the wrists he had been holding down against the fireplace, the engineer chased the upset woman out into the hallway. "Emily wait!"

The blond huffed, slipping her sweater back on and walking to the doorway.

Emily tried to keep herself in check as she searched once more through her purse for her keys. "Stop," she warned him, feeling the older man's presence behind her. "Go away."

"Emily ju-"

"Go away!" she screamed, slamming her hand against her apartment door when she couldn't grab her keys. "Fuck! Where are my keys?"

Aaron shoved his fingers through his hair. "Emily just listen to me!"

The blond in the doorway stepped into the hall and looked wide eyed to the other woman. "The teacher?" Her blue eyes cast over to her ex and she frowned. "You couldn't have done better than Jack's teacher?"

Emily looked up, her jaw dropping. Haley. "Wow," she ground out, glaring at the man she had gotten to know so well. Or so she thought. "Your ex? Again?"

"Again?" Haley grinned. "Sweetie, did he cheat on you already?"

"Seeing as how you're the one without any bra on in public, I wouldn't be judging." Emily finally picked her keys out of her bag and shoved her way into her apartment.

Aaron followed her in, dodging the purse and heels thrown at him once she slipped them off her feet. "Emily, come on!"

The third grade teacher heard her apartment door slam. "Why are you here?" Turning around, she looked to the older man and threw her jacket onto the couch. "What's the point? Get out."

"You're not even letting me explain."

Emily's jaw dropped. "Explain what? That you slept with your ex?"

Aaron's head shook so viciously the teacher was surprised it didn't go flying across her kitchen. "She came over to talk about Jack and all of a sudden she's throwing herself at me."

The brunette woman scoffed. "Likely story," she ground out, spinning on her heel and storming into her bedroom.

"Emily just listen!" The older man followed her and held the door she tried to slam shut open with his hand. "I swear to you I didn't do anything."

She felt her stomach flipping around as she yanked her jewelry out of her ears and from around her neck. "You have no shirt," she accused, her dark eyes looking him up and down. "You're sweating, and she has no bra on."

"She came when I was working out, and she didn't wear a bra here. What am I supposed to say to you?"

Emily slammed her necklace down on the vanity and pointed to the older man. "You told me you screwed your ex before but I didn't think you'd do it when you were seeing me."

Aaron's jaw clenched. "Emily, I didn't."

She glared at him with her dark eyes before walking over to her closet.

Growing angry, the engineer reached forward and took Emily's wrist in his hand, turning her around and holding her squirming form against his chest. "Listen to me, will you?"

"Get off of me!"

Aaron tugged her to him and glared down into those big eyes of hers. "I am trying to explain this to you. I need you to listen to me."

His dark tone made her heart drop, her stomach coiling and a heat growing inside of her. The look in his eyes caused her jaw to drop, and his grip on her wrists felt warm, not rough nor tight.

"Emily."

She let him kiss her, their lips pressing desperately against one another's as they stumbled back, Emily hitting the wall just beside her bedside table. Before long, she was lifted up against the wall and her bare legs were wrapped around his waist. "Jack," she interrupted, worried about the boy alone next door.

Aaron shook his head. "At a sleepover," he whispered quickly before diving back in for another kiss, his left hand unbuckling his pants and moving her panties to the side so he could slip into her.

She couldn't tell if she'd gasped or moaned, but she tightened her legs around him and clutched at his neck and fine hairs on his head as he thrust into her, her parted lips whimpering against his ear. His groans grew louder and his thrusts faster, and the teacher held onto him with all her mite as he pushed her further and further into the wall.


	11. Chapter 11

Buttoning up one of her blouses from the closet, Emily threw her hair over her shoulders and slipped in her earrings.

She was so mad at herself.

Emily ignored the grunt from the man getting out of her bed and quickly applied a small amount of makeup for the day. Biting her lip, her eyes followed the naked engineer in her mirror as he tried to find his pants.

She had slept with Aaron. It wasn't something either of them had planned to do but now she couldn't even look into his eyes without feeling guilty.

Running her fingers through the ends of her wavy hair, Emily went to the closet to get her favorite boots. It was a good day to go to church.

"Hey."

Emily stopped just before her closet door when Aaron's hand encircled her wrist. "Good morning."

The father of one gently turned the younger woman around and let his arms wrap around her waist. "Hi."

"Hi again," she nodded, letting him lean down and kiss her cheek.

Aaron's hands rubbed over Emily's hips as he met her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Emily kept herself quiet so the dark haired man could speak.

"I didn't mean to go about it like that, but I promise nothing happened with Haley. I need you to know that." Leaning his forehead against Emily's, he looked deep into those beautiful eyes she had. "I'm with you. I have a relationship with you, not her."

The third grade teacher could hear the sincerity in the older man's voice, but she still felt this unsure feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Yeah?"

Taking a chance, he leaned in and pressed a long kiss to the teacher's lips. "Yeah."

Emily let her lips roll inward as she nodded. "Ok." Pulling herself from Aaron's hold, the teacher brushed her hair behind her ears. "Well I'm going to go to church."

"Church?" He watched as she walked into her closet and slipped on a pair of black heeled boots. Noticing as she combed her hair from her eyes with the tips of her fingers, he grinned.

She was beautiful.

"I haven't gone in a while," she shrugged, her voice bringing him out of his train of thought. Emily took his jeans from the floor and handed it to him, a small smile on her face. "But with all of these very recent events, I thought it would be nice."

Aaron laughed against her lips before kissing her again.

Leaning back, Emily ran her hands up and down her boyfriend's muscular arms. "You want to come with me?"

"I wish I could, but I have to be at work in twenty minutes. Something went wrong last night with one of our reactors and they need me to see what malfunctioned."

The teacher pouted. "Sounds important."

Aaron nodded, moving from the younger woman's arms and got himself back into his pants. "Only if the weight of my entire career and income breaking the bones of my shoulders that carry it is important, than yes," he laughed, cupping the back of Emily's head and kissing her once more.

"You're very good at that," she whispered as he pulled away.

Walking out of her apartment together, Emily shouldered her purse and let him kiss the back of her hand. "Do you want to do dinner tonight?" When he nodded at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, Emily hid her smile.

"I'll see you tonight, gorgeous."

The teacher glared playfully at the older man as he started toward his apartment. "Stunning," she reminded him in an exasperated voice.

"Right!" he nodded, pointing to the beautiful woman who made her way to the elevator. "Stunning!"

Emily walked all twenty blocks to the nearest church that morning, wanting to soak in the sun and the warmth that she barely had the time to do anymore, and found herself a seat in the second pew just before the service started.

Only ten minutes in, the teacher lifted her head from a prayer when she distinctly heard her name being called.

"Ms. Prentiss!"

Emily turned to see Jack and his mother in the second pew across the way, the nine year old's hand reaching out to her for her to grab. Smiling, she gave him a tiny wave to calm him down, the church silent except for the priest who was reciting the prayer they were to be repeating.

The blond pulled her child back against her and glared at the teacher.

"Hi Jack," she mouthed, grinning when he yelled her name once again. Moving her eyes to the younger woman's, Emily did nothing but raise her brow. Was she supposed to be intimidated?

It wasn't until the morning after Emily's romantic dinner with her boyfriend and her calming day at church that the teacher walked into work with the kids playing before classes started. She was on her way to her classroom when she heard gasps from down the hall, and she looked up to see a few other teachers with a familiar blond in the center of their circle.

Haley.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored the group and started to her classroom, getting ready for the day.

"Em?"

She looked up to see Alexis in her doorway, but never got the chance to speak as she came rushing in the room.

The brunette took Emily's hand. "That's Haley Hotchner."

Emily frowned. "Haley Brooks."

"That's not what she's telling everyone," the other teacher whispered, glancing back to the doorway to make sure no one was walking by. "She's telling everyone you're sleeping with her husband."


	12. Chapter 12

Slamming his car door, Aaron marched himself through the main doors of his ex's office building.

"Mr. Hotchner," the security guard smiled.

Aaron's features never softened as he was given a visitor's pas. "Are they busy?"

"They had a meeting earlier this morning but I'm not sure if CEO Johnson has let them go yet."

"Good," he almost growled, passing through the security area and punching the elevator button. He had never been so angry in his life.

He did his best not to show his anger as he entered the elevator and rode up to the fifth floor with a few business men, two of which he knew Haley worked with. If he were to lose it now, he knew they wouldn't let him in to see his ex-wife.

Once off the elevator he tried to make it quickly to the right office without being noticed but heard his name being called. Turning, the father of one gave a tense smile to the two men in suits and shook their hands. "Roy, Leon," he smiled. "How are you two?"

The light haired man grinned to the engineer. "Finally got that new car," he nodded.

"The twins are headed into kindergarten," Leon grinned, gesturing to the older man with his briefcase. "What are you doing here?"

Aaron gestured behind him to the doors of the office. "Just need to have a little chat." The wording made him even angrier. This was no small thing.

"Everything ok with Jack?"

The engineer grinned, feeling an actual surge of happiness at the mention on his son. "Jack is great." He followed the other men into the office and waved them off when they had to go in the opposite direction. Once alone, Aaron eyes hardened and made his way to his ex's cubicle.

Walking swiftly through the office and mess of cubicles, Aaron found his ex standing from her chair. He took her by the arm and led her away from her coworkers.

"Aaron!" Haley swatted at the older man with the folder she held, his grip hurting her arm. "Get off of me!"

The brunette man let her go once in the copy room and slammed the door behind him.

Haley glanced at the father of her child. "What the hell is this? Why are you here?"

"Do you have any idea how angry I am?"

The blond was confused. "What does that have to do with me?"

Aaron stormed across the small space and stood before the younger woman, his face reddening at the look on her face. "I am not your husband. What are you doing going around telling Jack's school faculty that for?"

Haley just smiled.

"Answer me!"

The shelves around the pair shook at the intensity of the older man's voice, but Haley kept her features calm. "Did I upset you?"

Stepping forward, Aaron clenching his fists at his sides to stop himself from swinging at the woman he had been married to for years. "What does it do for you to spread rumors about my girlfriend?" Watching the surprise hit the younger woman, Aaron shook his head. "Do you realize what you're doing?"

"I'm getting even," she said flatly.

The engineer's blood was pumping so vigorously he could hear it zooming through his veins. "For what? What has Emily done to you?" He could see the coldness in those blue eyes. "This is the job she's worked for all her life and you're ruining it for her. You're going to get her fired." His girlfriend had called him sobbing after hours of her friends coming in to ask her what was going on, some even accusing her of what Haley had told them was true.

Haley pursed her lips, shaking her head. "I think she'll quit before that happens."

"What is your problem? What is the point of this? How is ruining Emily's career going to help you?" When he saw his ex struggling to find the right words, Aaron's jaw clenched. "Answer me!"

"He loves her."

Aaron found himself frowning. "What?"

"Jack," the blond growled, shoving the folder she had in her hands into her ex's chest. "He loves her."

The engineer's eyes almost fell from their sockets. "Are you kidding me? You're acting like a high schooler because our son likes my girlfriend?"

Haley's head shook. " _Loves_ ," she corrected, her voice full of malice. "All I hear from our son is how great Ms. Prentiss is in school and how helpful she is. And now he gets to have time with her at home to? She lives next door AND you're fucking her!"

Aaron shoved the folder back into his ex-wife's hands and watched her stumble back. "I'm going to have a girlfriend whether you like it or not, and I'm lucky as hell to have found Emily."

"A whore?"

His hand surged forward and his finger pointed accusingly at the woman before him. "Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Noticing how scared the younger woman looked, Aaron lowered his hand, feeling the veins in his neck pulse. "You have to face it sooner or later. We are divorced; we're not even a we." He hardened his eyes on his ex, hearing the bustling of her coworkers outside the copy room door. "I don't love you."


	13. Chapter 13

Wiping her eyes, the third grade teacher circled the grade she put on the newest worksheet before picking another from the pile.

All of her colleagues thought of her as a whore.

Emily's lips quivered as her mind quickly wandered back to how awful that day had been. Alexis had left her class to the student observing to come to her aid. She'd found the ambassador's daughter sobbing at her desk, the children who were supposed to have gone off to lunch stuck in the doorway, watching as their teacher broke down.

A ring from her phone had the teacher shoving the object from her coffee table. Her fingers raked roughly through her hair, tears falling from her eyes.

She had worked so hard for this job, and one woman had ruined all of that in one day.

The music from her record player was supposed to help her calm down and be able to get to work, but all it was doing was causing her to want to drill a hole through her head.

"Emily?"

Her head shot up at the sound of her friend's muffled voice on the other side of her door. Sniffling, she stood and padded over to it. "Jay?" she whispered, her voice cracking as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

The blond walked in and locked the door behind her, not even bothering to speak a word as she took her friend into a hug.

She refused to keep crying. Letting her friend hug her tight, Emily's fingers crumpled the younger woman's blazer draped over her shoulders. "They hate me."

"I'm sure they don't hate you."

The teacher let her friend lead her into her own living room and sit her down on the couch.

JJ ran her fingers through Emily's hair to do her best and untangle it as the elder of the two cleaned up the papers on her table. "What did they say?"

"Haley is no longer allowed within the school grounds," she sighed. "The headmaster of the school said the day's disruption was her fault and that if she had to come to pick Jack up she had to stay outside the gates." Nothing about Haley actually mattered though. All Emily was happy about was that after her meltdown she was glad she wasn't fired.

And somehow she still had a boyfriend.

But the school had forced her to take a week's leave, and after writing a detailed schedule for the substitute to follow the third grade teacher with her shoulders straight walked out of the school.

"Sweetie?"

Emily's head spun. "What?"

JJ frowned. "Did you hear me?"

The brunette slowly shook her head, running her hands down her face. "No, sorry."

JJ felt her stomach turn at the look of the broken hearted woman she saw beside her. "Come on," she said softly, forcing her friend to stand and walking her back to her bedroom.

"If this is some sex thing to cheer me up," Emily snorted, watching as the younger woman turned to her and smiled, "we haven't been together since sophomore year of college, and I have a boyfriend."

"Sit," JJ laughed as she forced her friend onto the foot of the bed. "Lay down, ok? I'm going to make you some soup."

The brunette shook her head. "I'm not sick," she denied, brushing her hair from her face.

"No, but you're sad."

Emily let her friend press a kiss to her forehead before she look back to her pillows.

Making her way around her best friend's kitchen, the journalist raided each cabinet to find a single can of soup to prepare for the older woman. Her friend was strong, that was obvious, but being humiliated at the one place Emily had thought of as safe, JJ couldn't even imagine how upset her friend had to be.

A knock at the door had the blond spilling the soup into a pot on the stove before rushing out of the kitchen. "Can I help you?"

Aaron stepped into the apartment, his eyes on the younger woman.

"Aaron?"

The brunette man slowly nodded his head, letting the journalist take his hand and give it a firm shake. "You're JJ," he almost smiled. "Emily talks about you a lot. Best friend from college?"

JJ smiled. "Yeah. She's back in the bedroom."

"Thank you."

Rounding the kitchen's wrap around counter, the blue eyed blond watched with delight as the unfamiliar man slipped off his shoes and climbed onto the bed her friend lay in. Emily's head turned just slightly to see her boyfriend lying beside her before she laid it back on the pillow, letting the father of one move up behind her and wrap his arm around her waist, their fingers intertwining. She wore she could see the engineer press a kiss just behind Emily's ear, and she smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

Her heart warming at the feeling of Aaron's hand tightening around hers, the third grade teacher gave a real smile for the first time in days. With his ex being the one to cause her little breakdown, Emily knew her boyfriend felt more guilt than he should have.

He made her dinner every night that week, stepped back to let Emily and Jack have time for themselves and cut out snowflakes, and he had even bought her a necklace.

She had made him take it back the next day. She didn't want gifts, she just wanted him.

"Emily?"

After just over a month of dating, Aaron had let his son know that it was ok to call his teacher by her first name as long as they weren't in school.

Looking down to the eight year old, Emily smiled. "What is it, Jack Attack?"

The sandy haired boy lit up at the nickname. "Are you going to be at my birthday party?"

The brunette hid her smile at the question. Aaron had been planning his son's party for a few weeks now and let her know Jack would be overjoyed to have her there. "A birthday party?" she asked, her eyes wide when Jack turned to look at her. "When's your birthday?"

"October eleventh!"

"No way," she breathed, "mine is the day after that."

Jack stopped on the busy city street, staring up tot he smiling woman with his jaw dropped to the floor. "Really?"

"Really."

The eight year old ran into his father's legs. "Can Emily and me have parties together, daddy?"

Aaron laughed, letting Emily take her hand away for a minute to fix the bracelet on her wrist. "Maybe, buddy." Walking the last block to his son's school, he fixed his son's tie. "You're going to be good in your classes today, right?"

"Ask Emily, daddy," he said distractedly, grabbing onto Emily's now free hand as his father fixed his hair. "I'm always good."

Emily smirked at the older man when he turned to look at her. "He's right."

Standing, the engineer brushed his girlfriend's straight locks from her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

She could feel the eyes of other teachers on them as she bit her lip. "Not as nervous as I thought I'd be," she admitted. "I'll be ok."

"I'll be back to get you both at five."

Smiling into the kiss, Emily nodded. "See you then." Watching him walk back the six blocks to where he had parked the car, the teacher shook Jack's hand. "Ok bud, let's get inside."

Emily waved at a few students who called her name and led her boyfriend's son toward their classroom.

"Ms. Prentiss, how are you?"

The third grade teacher let Jack run into the room so she could talk to the principal. "I'm good," she nodded. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

The principal smiled. "Good. Your students missed you."

Emily could swear she was blushing. "I'm glad." She knew how to do her job, but the ids were the ones who made everything worthwhile.

Before she could leave to walk into her classroom, she heard her name being called.

"Are you sure you should still be seeing poor Jack's father?"

All Emily did was frown.

The blond walked up to the younger woman, her arms crossed and judgmental green eyes looking the third grade teacher from head to toe. "Sleeping with a married man is bad enough, but one of your student's fathers?" Her smile tensed. "Emily," she chided, "really?"

Emily's brow furrowed. Adjusting her purse so it fell to rest within her elbow, the brunette batted her eyes. "Janie," she almost sang, "I might be taking your advice if it weren't for your not-so-secret affair with a certain music teacher." When she saw those green eyes widen, she hid her smirk. "Tell me, what does his wife think of your private midday lunch breaks out in his car?"

She probably should have felt bad for making the other teacher practically run to the bathroom to clean her smudged makeup, but turning and getting a smile from Alexis made her laugh.

"Badass," the other teacher whispered with a smile. "How are you feeling? Really," she almost forced her friend.

Emily's head shook. "I feel better," the teacher promised. "Do you want to have lunch later?"

"No boyfriend lunch date?"

The brunette woman blushed as she popped her head into the classroom to make sure all her students were ok. Aaron had brought her lunch every day he was able to get out of work early, and each time Alexis barged in and accidentally interrupted their date. "No, he has a long day at work so if he can't come pick us up, I'm taking Jack back home and making them dinner."

Alexis' big eyes smiled back at her.

"Don't say it," Emily laughed. "I'll see you later."

Sitting herself down at her desk, she made eye contact with her favorite little boy and winked. When he laughed and turned back to joke around with his friends, Emily could feel her sense of security strengthen. Haley could hate her all she wanted, that wouldn't make her give up her new two favorite boys.

"Ms. Prentiss?" Daisy asked, raising her hand from her desk as the bell rang. "Are you back for good?"

Emily stood. "Of course I am." Smiling to the excitement she saw on her students' faces, the third grade teacher played with the diamond bracelet she wore. "Happy Monday, everyone," she grinned, writing the lesson plan on the board. "Ok, the first one to get the answer gets a piece of candy."

She could easily hear Jack's scream of happiness over everyone else's.

Laughing, the brown eyed woman turned back to her students. "Who's ready?"


End file.
